University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) researchers are helping pioneer a bird radar programme at King Shaka International Airport (KSIA), combining aviation safety with the conservation of millions of migratory Barn Swallows.
The initiative is a collaboration between HENSOLDT South Africa, Robin Radar Systems, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and UKZN, and has seen KSIA upgraded to a Robin Radar Systems MAX bird detection radar.
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The technology makes KSIA one of only two airports in Africa operating the full 3D avian radar system.
At the heart of the research is the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), known in isiZulu as inkonjane yaseYurobhu, which travels thousands of kilometres each year between Europe and southern Africa.
KwaZulu-Natal is home to the internationally renowned Mount Moreland Barn Swallow roost, where an estimated three million swallows gather each evening between September and March.
The roost is located only a few kilometres from KSIA, creating both a spectacular natural phenomenon and challenges for aviation safety as the birds’ flight paths intersect with aircraft operations.
The new radar can track more than 3 000 birds simultaneously within a 15km radius, providing information on flight paths, altitude, speed and flock behaviour in real time.
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ACSA Regional General Manager Nkosinathi Myataza said the technology would give wildlife management teams greater visibility of bird activity around the airport.
“The system represents a significant upgrade and forms part of our regular assessment of our infrastructure and systems to ensure that it remains fit for purpose,” said Myataza.
This technology provides our wildlife management teams unprecedented visibility of bird activity around the airport, enabling proactive decision-making that strengthens aviation safety while protecting local biodiversity.
For UKZN researchers, the radar provides an opportunity to study bird movements on a scale that has previously been difficult to achieve.
The university’s Discipline of Biological Sciences is working with the project to study bird movements around the airport, migration arrival and departure patterns and habitat use.
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The research team is led by Professor Colleen Downs, National Research Foundation South African Research Chairs Initiative Chair in Ecosystem and Biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
She is working alongside postdoctoral fellow Dr Cameron Cormac and MSc candidate Matthew Wilkinson, who are gathering field data, identifying species and comparing observations with radar detections.
The team is also helping populate the radar’s species database, allowing researchers and airport officials to better understand which birds are being detected and how they move through the area.
Downs said the technology could transform ecological research.
“The new radar technology offers a transformative opportunity for ecological research by continuously monitoring birds active in the vicinity of the airport simultaneously, day and night, throughout the year,” said Downs.
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Traditional monitoring has largely relied on human observations and GPS tracking, which can be limited by daylight, weather and the number of birds that can be tracked.
The radar, however, can monitor large flocks continuously, generating data on migration patterns, flock movements, habitat use and environmental conditions influencing bird behaviour.
Robin Project Manager and Civil Aviation Team Lead Alex Coccia said the system’s purpose extended beyond aviation safety.
“Though the MAX radar serves as an effective tool to bolster safety and empower bird control teams, its goals in this project are also very much centred around conservation,” Coccia said.
We’re excited to support King Shaka International, which is championing ecological practices as well as safety, and to work alongside our partners, HENSOLDT. We’ll provide training, support, and expertise, alongside our radar system.
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The project partners said the data could ultimately assist ACSA with evidence-based habitat management while contributing to conservation planning and environmental management.
For UKZN, the project also demonstrates how research can be applied to real-world challenges, with the university’s researchers helping to ensure that the annual arrival of millions of Barn Swallows can coexist with one of KwaZulu-Natal’s busiest transport hubs.
